Monday, March 20, 2017

Phexting = Pharmacy Texting

Technology is great. It helps us in ways we never dreamed possible. Can you imagine the ability to simply send a text message to get a pizza, confirm a dental appointment, or even get your medication refilled 20 years ago? Nope. If it was around then it was very limited.

And now there's PHEXTING! It's using texting to order refills on your pharmacy prescriptions. It's just GREAT!


But along with that comes a whole new set of problems.

Every day we get some goofball at the pickup window and this is how it plays out:

"I'm here for my prescription. I got a text saying I have a prescription ready for pick up."

We go to the will-call shelf. Nothing is there.

"What did the text say?" we ask.

"I don't know."

"Did you read the text?"

"Well it says something about a prescription."

"Does it say It's Time to Fill Your XXXX. Please reply with an F to fill."

<Looking Sheepish> "Yeah, maybe. I don't know."

"That text is telling you it might be time to fill your XXXX and if you want to fill it to reply with an F for FILL."

<Looking impatient> "Well is it ready?"

"Did you respond with an F to fill it?" I know they didn't but I'm trying to get the neurons in the patient's brain to connect this all together for next time.

"No. Maybe. I don't know." So much for that.

"We don't have it filled so you must not have responded to the text. I can get it filled now. It will be about 10-15 minutes."

"Oh wow, that long? What's the point of having the text thing then?"

<sigh> Euthanize me.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"...I can get it filled now. It will be about 10-15 minutes."

"Oh wow, that long?..."

I feel like every retail pharmacist has said and heard those exact words.

Many. Many. Many times.

Ugh, impatient snowflakes are one of many reasons I am driven to drink to excess.

Whatever

May I help who's next?

tbunni said...

I came late (and reluctantly) to texting, and use it infrequently, compared with most people. Which leaves me with some gaps in my texting knowledge, such as, why the heck wouldn't you OPEN a text and READ it? Otherwise what good is it? Or are the truly texting savvy psychic and can dispense with that step?

And here I thought I was pretty hip ordering my rx's online!

Anonymous said...

Same thing goes for people that have voicemail.

Rx's that have been waiting to be picked up get regular phone call reminders and voicemails. All the way up to the mandated time that we have to reverse the claim and return to stock.

And what is the inevitable fact?

The moron shows up the day after having an emotional meltdown at the counter because the Rx isn't ready. And the answer to our question if they had checked their messages?

"I ain't got time fo' dat sh!t"

Yeah..........

May I help who's next?